It’s Gregory’s first Halloween with a group. He’s basically been a dream of his to have a group costume to go with it! One where they can all match their outfits to their roles! It’s a little nerdy, but he likes the idea. Sue him.
His first idea had been Star Wars. Gregory would’ve been Luke, as the awesome protagonist. That would make Dad Darth Vader. He’d protested, but reluctantly agreed. Aunt Lizzie wanted to be Han Solo and Gregory wouldn’t stop her. She’d rock the outfit. And she calls him kid a lot. The only reason they couldn’t do that was because Uncle Cass and Charlie both really wanted to be Obi-Wan. They went deep into Star Wars subtext to find the “ideal” candidate and Gregory had totally lost the plot.
His second idea had been the Pokémon Eeveeloutions but those are cute. Gregory is cool, not cute! Anyone that says otherwise doesn’t understand!
He’d also considered that they all dress up as classic slashers, but given recent events Gregory figured it would be in poor taste.
Which brings them here.
It made sense at first. Roxy is snarky and caring like Aunt Lizzie. Chica is friendly and sweet like Uncle Cass. Bonnie is silly and cheerful like Charlie. Freddy is protective and warm like Dad. Monty is rough around the edges but caring like Gregory.
Of course, when he brings this up to his family, there were mixed results.
Charlie looked ready to pass out. Dad looked annoyed. Aunt Lizzie laughed at them. Uncle Cass seemed like he’d tolerate it.
“Ugh, Charlie!” Dad groans. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”
“That was before I realized how hot I look,” Charlie applies, adjusting her bunny ears.
Gregory puts on Monty’s signature starry sunglasses on his forehead. “How do I look, Aunt Lizzie?”
She touches up his eyeshadow. It tickles. She insisted that she get to do everyone’s makeup. Aunt Lizzie supposedly had a big makeup phase in high school. She painted the little lightning bolt on his nose.
“You look great, kiddo!”
Gregory beams, running outside to see the rest of his family. Uncle Cass looks ready to snap at any moment. Gregory is grateful that he’s willing to do this with him. Dad looks grumpy, but Gregory doesn’t really care. Dad is grumpy a lot. Charlie seems to be admiring himself more than anything. Aunt Lizzie laughs when she joins them outside.
“Just like when we were kids, huh?” she quips.
“Huh? I need details!” Gregory demands.
“Well, there was briefly this, like, spinoff to Fazbear’s but it closed due to gas leaks. I dressed as the main girl, a clown called Circus Baby. Your dad was Foxy, Cass was Fredbear, and Charlie was the security puppet, which used to, like, watch the kids,” Aunt Lizzie explains.
“God, that must’ve been so long ago,” Charlie muses. “Halloween of… ‘82, maybe? I’m surprised you remember it, Liz. You were, like, four.”
“I’ve seen pictures. We were adorable,” Aunt Lizzie says.
“Can I see?” Gregory asks.
“I’ll have to track them down, but sure,” Aunt Lizzie agrees.
“You know, Bonnie was my favorite was I was little,” Charlie says. “Spring Bonnie, that is.”
Dad sticks his tongue out. “You had poor taste.”
“Okay, Fredbear.”
“I will kill you. All the way dead.”
“I could get into that.”
“Charlie, wh-“
“I think I’ve decided,” Cassidy announces. “Chica is my favorite.”
“Least negative association doesn’t count as a favorite,” Aunt Lizzie says.
Cassidy hums. “The new Monty and Roxy designs are so… aggressive. Chica is the one that’s nice.”
“Freddy is nice!” Gregory protests.
“If he is, I hope I never have to find out!”
That’s fair, but also, Gregory wants to introduce Uncle Cass to the new animatronics! The old ones were weird and creepy, but these new ones are so shiny!
“Babe, would you-“ Charlie begins but Dad cuts her off.
“Oh, you did not just call me babe.”
“I’m sure Bonnie calls Freddy babe all the time! All of their versions have been kinda… you know.”
Dad buries his face in his hands. “Why would you say that?”
“Aw, don’t be hom*ophobic.”
“Charlie,” Uncle Cass interjects, “it’s just that the first version of Freddy and Bonnie were, uh, costumes for, um…”
“You know, I saw Spring Bonnie call Fredbear ‘darling’ once,” Aunt Lizzie offers. “I still haven’t recovered.”
Charlie blinks. “Ohhhhhh. No. Oh my god. I didn’t mean that. Gross.” She throws her head back in frustration. “sh*t, now I’m thinking about it!”
Gregory doesn’t know what they’re talking about, but it makes Aunt Lizzie cackle.
“Language!” Dad reprimands, covering Gregory’s ears and looking very offended.
“sh*t,” Gregory echoes.
Dad removes his hands and gasps in offense. “Gregory! What have we said about bad language?”
“You see, this is why you’re Freddy,” Aunt Lizzie comments. “Only he would be such a prick about ‘foul language.’”
Dad frowns. “I can’t believe you’d say that to me. My own sister…”
“You guys are the superior Freddy and Bonnie,” Uncle Cass offers awkwardly.
Charlie strikes a pose. “I know.”
Gregory looks from her pose to Dad’s unamused expression. He gasps when an idea hits him. “Guys! Let’s take a photo before we go trick-or-treating!”
Trick-or-treating has always been one of Gregory’s favorite things. He scavenges for a costume or nicks one from a store. And then he gets free candy and even the occasional cookie! Finally, Gregory is actually allowed to prank people who don’t give him free stuff! Dad says that’s not how it works, but Uncle Cass said that Dad once egged a house when they didn’t give him candy on Halloween. So, really, he’s just using Dad as a role model if he wreaks havoc.
“Do I have to smile?” Dad asks, annoyed.
“You could at least try?” Uncle Cass says.
“Babe-“ Charlie begins.
“Literally stop.”
“Darling,” Charlie corrects in a horrible British accent, “let’s humor the boy.”
Aunt Lizzie wrinkles her nose. “You grew up with us and that’s the best accent you can do?”
“Someone has to be the token American,” Charlie explains tiredly, “or else Gregory will be saying alu-mini-um within a month.”
Gregory gasps. “I would never!”
“Aluminum,” Aunt Lizzie says plainly.
“Disgusting,” Charlie replies. “British bastard.”
“Bastard,” Gregory echoes, because he should be allowed to use every swear word that they use.
“Language!” Dad chides.
“Man, British people are the worst.”
Dad grins at her. “Then I guess you’ll want to sleep in a different bed.”
“No!”
“You’re all over the place, love,” Dad says, brushing a coil of Charlie’s hair.
“And you’re British!”
“Yes, we’ve established that.”
“Oh, just f*ck already!” Aunt Lizzie shouts.
“Liz!” Uncle Cass whines. “Not in front of Gregory!”
“f*ck,” Gregory chooses to echo, just for the bit.
“Gregory, I can still ground you,” Dad reminds him.
“No!” Gregory whines. “You can’t prove anything!” He turns to his aunt. “I’ve never sworn in my life, right?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mike,” Aunt Lizzie offers. “I don’t even think he knows a single swear.”
Cassidy sighs. Loudly. “Can we just take the picture?” “Oh, yeah!” Gregory remembers. “Besides, we gotta go trick-or-treating soon!”
Dad rushes inside to find a camera. He surfaces with a camera and tripod, setting it up and fiddling with the timer. Gregory resists the urge to laugh at him. He’s doing that thing when he sticks his tongue out in focus. “Everyone, get into position!” he orders. “I’ll set the timer to five seconds.” For some reason, Aunt Lizzie lays on the ground in front of them, posing for the camera. Gregory sits behind her, offering a peace sign. Uncle Cass sits slightly off to the side. Dad and Charlie sit in the back. The flash goes off.
Gregory looks at the photo.
“Dad, you kind of creepy.”
Dad snatches it. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating!”
Charlie peers at it. “Dude, you’re, like, glaring at the camera. At least Cass is trying to smile!”
Dad blushes. “I- Well, we can take another.”
Gregory looks at the photo once again. His dad is grumpy, but he’s also a funny weirdo. Gregory likes that about him. He takes the photo back and clutches it to his chest.
“This one is perfect.”
